


The Best Years of Our Lives

by Nyxierose



Category: Firefly, Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Community College, F/M, Gen, Multiple Crossovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-01
Updated: 2013-02-01
Packaged: 2017-11-27 18:20:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/665028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyxierose/pseuds/Nyxierose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a good thing Miscellus Community College is located in the middle of nowhere. Between the revolutionaries, the schemers, and the unfortunates who just want to get by, there's no end to what might happen... (Multifandom AU, will expand as needed.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Late

She's late. Fantastic. Ten minutes into her college career and Eponine Thénardier is late to her first class. So much for thinking that even _she_ couldn't get into trouble at community college… clearly, that delusion was cute while it lasted but not much more.

It's not even her fault, she tells herself. Just a tiny mix-up that got her sent to the wrong floor, and she's sorted herself out quite nicely _now_. She runs the last couple of yards to room 412, where she is destined to spend the next three hours in a government class. On Monday mornings, of all things. Ugh. How did she get into this? Right… her ex, he who shall not be named and is currently engaged to that _awful_ Barbie type… so nothing that even makes sense. She should probably rethink her life a little bit.

She slams open the door and promptly slips into the nearest seat available, in between a dark-skinned girl and a blond boy whose eyes have already glazed over. "Sorry!" she exclaims, slipping her messenger bag over her head. "Bit of a mix-up. Have I missed anything?"

The blond boy passes her a few sheets of paper. "Too late to get these, but I could make copies of mine for you." He seems sympathetic, at least - that has to be a good sign, Ep tells herself.

"And why's that?" she asks.

"Because the dictator wannabe up there apparently doesn't tolerate lateness, period, and 'there will be consequences'."

"It was probably just for show," the dark-skinned girl counters. "Delusions of having power and all that."

By this point, the professor - a former military type, early fifties by the look of him - has noticed the situation. "And who might you be?" he asks, glaring at the latecomer.

"Eponine," she says, voice shaking a little bit for no apparent reason. "Eponine Thénardier."

"In the future, Miss Thénardier, please try to arrive on time or you will be penalized."

She responds by rolling her eyes as soon as the professor's attention has darted elsewhere, towards the obligatory group of misbehaving boys. "Would it be bad to drop this class after ten minutes?" she asks no one in particular.

The blond boy smiles at her. "Don't even think about it. Even I couldn't counter Professor Javert like that… although I didn't have a dramatic entrance to help my case." He pauses for a moment and reaches out his hand, brushing his fingers on top of her own. "Ethan Enjolras. Nice to meet you."

On Eponine's other side, the other girl shrugs her shoulders. "Blondie's got a point. You've got a gift, Eponine." Another pause for introductions, thankfully this time without awkward hand-holding. "Zoe Alleyne. Welcome to Miscellus."


	2. Chapter 2

Monday morning Anatomy & Physiology is off to a wonderful start as far as Sybil is concerned - no sarcasm or anything, just a simple fact. The class has progressed to the lovely introduction stage, and though she has her doubts on the professor's credentials, the other students in the class seem nice enough. There are a few familiar faces from high school, and the others are decent, well-mannered. This could be so much worse.

She's third to introduce herself, after two older women in the front row. When her turn comes, she stands up even though it's not strictly necessary and turns to face as many of her fellow students as she can. "Hi," she says. "I'm Sybil Crawley, I'm a freshman here, and I want to go into the nursing program."

The boy next to her applauds. She takes a glance at him - tall, brunette, classically handsome - and automatically rules out that as potential. "Nice job," he whispers when she sits down. Then it's his turn. "Simon Tam, I'm also a freshman, and… I'm not really sure what my major is, but I'm planning to become a surgeon."

A few more people go, most of them older students, and then it's back to someone Sybil knows. The person in question, a petite blonde, seems determined to leave an impression. "I'm Cosette, I'm in my first semester here, and I am also headed into the nursing program."

"You and everyone else in this room," the girl next to her mutters. This one is clad in a patched jacket and ripped jeans, looks younger than her years, and seems distinctly out of place. "Um… I'm Kaylee, I guess I'm a freshman, and I'm going for engineering."

Half the room proceeds to side-eye her, but pretty Cosette smiles radiantly at the misfit, showing off a good ten thousand dollars worth of orthodontic success in the process. "Well, not everyone can devote their life to helping others," she says in a failed attempt at sympathy.

"Yeah, and not everybody can be as perfect as you," Kaylee mutters, getting to her feet. "Some of us have to fight for what we get."

"Ladies, ladies," Professor Clarkson interjects, but the girls don't hear him.

"I'm quite sorry," Cosette replies, her voice saccharine. "If there's anything I can do for you…"

"Nope," Kaylee mutters. "I hate to break your record, Clarkson, but I'm out of here." And, with that, she grabs her things and leaves.

The rest of the class is stunned, silent for a few moments. Across the room, Simon turns towards Sybil. "I have no idea who that girl is, but I like her."

Sybil rolls her eyes. "Well, someone has to…"


End file.
